Steve has been pastor of Village Parkway Baptist Church of San Antonio for over 16 years. He has been a pastor in Texas for over 30 years. He is an adjunct professor for Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary here in San Antonio.

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23 Days of Christmas

The first miracle of the Christmas story was before the Christmas story had even started. Zacharias and Elizabeth was an older couple enjoying their lives. Zacharias was a priest who served the Lord in the temple. They were both righteous in the sight of God and they had walked blamelessly in the commandments and requirements of the Lord.

Luke records the fact that Elizabeth had never been able to have children. She was barren and they were both advanced in years. The phrase “advanced in years” pointed back to the Old Testament story of Abraham and Sarah. In a very similar way the angel, Gabriel, told Zacharias that he would have a son.

This son would be a great man in the sight of God and he would turn many of the sons of Israel back to the Lord their God. This announcement to Zacharias was the beginning of the amazing story of Christmas. This baby would be the forerunner to the Messiah and he would prepare the way for the Lord Jesus Christ.

The entire story of Christmas demonstrates the power and wisdom of our God. As you start getting ready to celebrate Christmas this season, stop and remember that the Lord God loved us enough to send His only Son that we could have life. This is truly a great time of year to reflect on how much the Father in heaven loves us!